Do Video Games Encourage Violent Behavior?

With video games becoming so popular in the last 10 years there as been a number of concerns about how they affect people. One of the main concerns that people have with video games is that it may encourage violent behavior. In my opinion, I do believe video games encourage violent behavior. When I was a kid growing up I remember playing on the playgroud and we used to imitate Power Rangers and fight each other. Now-a-days though video games like Grand Theft auto and Call of Duty all involve violent behavior with guns. These games reward players with points the more they kill. Obviously, from an older person perspective I know the difference between whats right and whats wrong, but when younger generations from the ages of 13 and younger start playing these games they might see it and think that these acts of violence are ok. Think of it in a different way. Kids watch their parents do certain habits such as the way they speak, the way they drive, the way they dress and kids then pick up on these habits and start doing them thinking that is right. With this in mind what will kids start to do if they believe that what they see in video games is acceptable? It is a natural habit for us to see something and follow and obtain the same habits and when it comes to kids who are absorbing information like sponges it is crucial that they stay away from video games because they can be influenced easily and pick up on the violent behavior.

A study for the American Psychological Association's Journal of Personality and Social Psychology concluded that video games can increase a persons aggressive thoughts, feelings and behavior. Their findings were that students who reported playing more violent video games in junior and high school engaged in more aggressive behavior. The study concluded that video games are more harmful than than violent television and movies because they are interactive, very engrossing and require the player to identify with the aggressor. I believe no matter how much people see video games as encouragment to violent behavior, video game makers will still make violent games and people will continue to play them. Hopefully, parents of kids will limit or even ban their kid's from playing any video games because of the negative effects it could have. It may sound like a stretch to do this, but I think kids should read books or enjoy the great outdoors rather than sit in front of a TV all day that encourages violent behavior. Either way video games are here to stay and we must cope with what it brings to our society.